Kitesurf waves on your backhand with control
In short
Riding waves on your backhand opens angles you never get riding switch, letting you draw cleaner, more committed lines.
Success comes down to your bottom turn, a low steady kite, good timing and a directional board with proper rails and fins.
What you'll learn here
How to set up and hold a backhand wave ride, from the drop and bottom turn through to speed, body position and flow.
Backhand is a different attack. You meet the wave from another angle, so you can draw lines that riding switch simply never offers.
It adds flair and a point of difference to the way you kite waves, but it demands cleaner kite control than most riders expect.
Unhook to open your body
Unhook whenever you can. Staying hooked pins you to one pivot point, while unhooking frees your body for any turn you want to throw.
The bottom turn sets up everything
The bottom turn is the most important move. It lays the foundation for whatever comes next, backside or frontside.
Take the drop like you would surfing, so you feel the power of the wave rather than the pull of the kite from the very start.
On your backhand you ride your heelside edge, so dig the rail in and drive off the bottom by coming back up the wave.
Lower your centre of gravity as you turn, bending your knees hard to spread your weight over the board.
"Speed is everything. You can do anything with speed, and the hardest part is learning to control it."
Keep the kite low and quiet
Park the kite low and aim it down the line. Hold a happy medium where it flies with almost no pull and needs only subtle adjustments.
That frees you to concentrate on your turns instead of fighting the bar the whole way down the wave.
Start your ride with the kite in its optimal spot, which shifts with wind angle and wave size and only comes with practice.
Timing, speed and body position
Timing gives you flow. Read the wave by looking over your shoulder down the line, visualising what it will do so you can pick your next move.
Speed is your friend once you tame it. Stay hooked in early until your speed feels under control, then unhook or hook back in to manage it.
Stay centred over the board. Keeping your weight stacked through a turn or section takes commitment but holds your speed and lets you stomp the move.
Flow is the real goal
Flow is the hardest part and the most rewarding. Being in sync with the wave is what makes a backhand ride truly come together.
The way you fly and control the kite makes that flow possible, so drill it or you will skip a major part of your wave riding growth.
Choosing the right board
Your board choice matters as much as your technique. You want refined rails, good concaves and fins, because twin tips do not work backside.
You need direction and rails, so ride something close to what you would surf in your local conditions.
If you do not surf, work out what surfboard shape would suit you if you did, then match your kiteboard to that.
Check the wind forecast before you head out so your session lands on a workable wave and wind angle.
Questions & Answers
Why ride backhand instead of switch? Neither is more correct, but backhand lets you attack the wave from a different angle and draw lines switch riding cannot. It adds variety and flair to how you ride, and many riders find it feels closer to surfing.
Why does my kite keep pulling me off the wave? The kite is probably too high or too active. Park it low, aim it down the line, and make only small corrections so the wave powers your turns instead of the kite yanking you around.
Can I ride waves backhand on a twin tip? Not well. Twin tips lack the directional rails and fins you need to hold a line through a bottom turn. Use a directional board with proper rails, concaves and fins suited to your local waves.
How do I stop losing speed through turns? Stay centred over the board rather than leaning back, and commit your weight through the turn. Combine that with a low, steady kite and good timing, and you will carry speed out of each section.